2025 HCPCS code A0435
Effective Date: N/A Ambulance and Other Transport Services and Supplies Feed
Fixed wing air mileage, per statute mile.
Medical necessity for the use of a fixed-wing air ambulance must be clearly documented. This typically involves situations where ground transport is not feasible due to distance, time constraints, or the patient's critical condition requiring rapid transport to a higher level of care.
In simple words: This code covers the miles flown by a fixed-wing air ambulance when transporting a patient.
This code represents the total distance traveled in miles by an airplane ambulance transporting a patient. It identifies the total distance traveled in miles when a provider transports a patient via an airplane ambulance to the closest appropriate facility.
Example 1: A patient in a rural area experiences a severe heart attack and requires immediate transport to a specialized cardiac center. Due to the distance and urgency, a fixed-wing air ambulance is dispatched, and the mileage is billed using A0435., A critically injured patient in a car accident needs to be transferred from a small rural hospital to a Level I trauma center equipped to handle their complex injuries. A fixed-wing air ambulance is used, and A0435 is used for mileage., A patient in a remote location requires urgent medical attention not available locally. They are transported by a fixed-wing air ambulance to a facility capable of providing the necessary care, with mileage billed under A0435.
Documentation should include the point of pickup and destination, the date and time of transport, the number of loaded miles, and a clear justification for the medical necessity of air transport. In emergency cases, documentation of the emergency situation is also required.
** Medicare does not pay for this service. Medicaid guidelines vary by state.
- Place of Service:Ambulance - Air or Water